How to buy train tickets?
Train tickets are essential if you want to get to Machu Picchu by the classic route through Ollantaytambo. To buy them you must follow these steps:
1) Choose Peru Rail or Inca Rail
There are only two companies that make the train route to Machu Picchu: Peru Rail or Inca Rail. Both offer similar services. Their costs are also very similar.
2) Enter the website and choose the day of the trip
After entering www.perurail.com or www.incarail.com, the visitor must choose the date of their train trip. Remember that the date is related to the day of your visit to Machu Picchu.
3) Choose the schedule and type of train
Next you must choose the type of service and the time of your preference.
These are the types of Peru Rail trains:
- Expedition – Service that offers comfortable seats, large windows, tables, sale of snacks and drinks as well as background music on board.
- Vistadome – Service that offers comfortable seats, panoramic windows, tables as well as complimentary snacks and drinks. On the return trip there is a dance show and parade of alpaca clothes.
- Vistadome Observatory – Service that offers all the comfort on board as well as an observatory car with music show on board. It also includes complimentary snacks and drinks.
- Hiram Bingham – Luxurious service that includes all the comfort on board as well as: dining car, observatory car, bar car, gourmet lunch (or dinner), open bar, courtesy champagne, music on board as well as bus to Machu Picchu and tour guide service.
These are the types of Inca Rail trains:
- The Voyager – Service that offers comfortable seats, large windows, tables, snacks and drinks sales as well as background music and tasteful Andean decoration.
- The 360 – Service that offers comfortable seats, ‘360’ panoramic windows and on-board service with box lunch, open-air observation car and Wi-Fi entertainment system.
- The First Class – This first class train offers comfortable seats, tables, panoramic windows as well as background Andean music, observatory car with lounge bar, welcome cocktail, gourmet menu included, selection of drinks hot or cold, pisco tasting as well as private bus to Machu Picchu.
- The Private – Luxurious service that includes all the comfort on board as well as a gourmet menu, lounge bar observatory car, live music, exclusive bar, welcome champagne, cooking classes on board, champagne welcome as well as private bus to Machu Picchu.
4) Make the payment
Payment can be made virtually with Visa, MasterCard or other credit or debit cards.
5) Print the ticket
Once the ticket is purchased, it will be sent to the tourist’s email. You just have to print it and present it on the day of the trip in Cusco.